20 'DUQ staffers to lose jobs June 30
Pittsburgh:More than 20 full- and part-time staffers of WDUQ will lose their jobs come June 30 when 90.5 FM is turned over to Essential Public Media. Duquesne University and Essential Public Media finalized negotiations to allow EPM to take over programming under a License Marketing Agreement. That agreement would remain in effect until the FCC approves the sale which could take up to two months. The LMA will go into effect July 1.
The layoffs were not unexpected as the staff did receive earlier notification from the university that July 1 would be the target date. Remaining with the station through the transition will be director of development and interim general manager Fred Serino as well as business manager Vicky Rumpf.
Readers’ Forum
Forrest Gump summed this whole thing up: “Stupid is as stupid does.” Good thing these guys didn’t try to rob a bank instead of robbing the people of Pittsburgh of the public radio station we’ve listened to and supported more than any other, including the station “where the music matters (but only if it’s not jazz).
Feh. A pox on their house and those of the “philanthropists” who are shoving this deal downs our throats. Reminds me of having my nose held shut while receiving a dose of castor oil, because it was “good for me.”
Double feh.
Unusual Suspect - June 17, 2011 at 08:50 am
With apologies to Ernest Lawrence Thayer:
EPM Strikes Out
The Outlook wasn’t brilliant for Jazzville fans that day:
Their radio station sold, with no more music left to play.
And then when Yacovone retired, and Plaskett retired too,
A sickly silence fell upon the patrons of DUQ.
A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. The rest
Clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast;
They thought, if only somehow the Jazzers could get but a whack at that –
We’d put up even money, now, with Jazzers at the bat.
But Hanley’d left the station, as had also “Johnson John,”
And Cardamone was a lulu and Ferraro woebegone;
So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat,
For there seemed but little chance of Jazzers getting to the bat.
But Dick Roberts issued a release, and to the wonderment of all,
Said Jazzers, though much despis-ed, wouldn’t have to lose it all;
And when the dust had lifted, and the folks saw what had occurred,
There was to be jazz on Saturday night, displayed like a polished turd.
Then from 5,000 throats and more there rose a lusty yell;
It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell;
It knocked upon the mountain and recoiled upon the flat,
For Jazzers, angry Jazzers, weren’t satisfied with that.
There was ease in the Jazzers’ manner as they put their plan in place;
There was pride in the Jazzers’ bearing and a smile on their collective face.
And when, responding to the jeers, YEP locked its Facebook page,
No stranger in the crowd could doubt the depth of Jazzers’ rage.
Ten thousand eyes were on them as they hurled a little dirt;
Five thousand tongues applauded and cried they would be hurt.
Then while the scheming Humphrey ground their DUQ to dust,
Defiance gleamed in the Jazzers’ eyes, for them, it’s “Jazz or Bust!”
And now the boycott’s taken flight, from Facebook friend to friend,
And Jazzers vow to battle on until the bitter end.
Close by their trusty radios, they heard Bob Studebaker’s voice,
Saying “Two more weeks of jazz to go,” but it’s clear that’s not by choice.
From Pittsburgh, from the suburbs, and beyond, came a muffled roar,
Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore.
“Kill him! Kill Charlie Humphrey!” shouted someone taking a stand;
And its likely they’d a-killed him had not Tony raised his hand.
With a smile of Christian charity great Tony’s visage shone;
He stilled the rising tumult; he bade that life go on;
He made plans to retire, and once more the Jazzers knew;
That EPM’d ignored them, and the public said, “Strike two.”
“Fraud!” cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered fraud;
But one scornful look from Oliphant and the audience was awed.
They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,
And they knew that cultural fascists wouldn’t let jazz play again.
The sneer is gone from the Jazzers’ lips, their teeth are clenched in hate;
They bristle at the notion that elitists command their fate.
And so the Jazzers fight the fight, but the ball’s not in their court,
“Six hours of jazz is plenty! You should be happy” was Grant’s retort.
Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
A jazz band’s playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere folks are laughing, and somewhere children shout;
But there’ll be joy in Jazzville – if the Jazzers’ cause strikes out.
So pack up your DUQ coffee mug and send it to EPM,
And send those folks the message that you’ll not be supporting them
Until they play the music that fills Jazzville with so much cheer.
And they do not like it, they should cry into their (donated) beer.
Jazz Is Pittsburgh - June 17, 2011 at 11:54 am
Spot-on and brilliant!
Bob Thompson - June 19, 2011 at 11:58 am
It is a shame that it has come to this, but the blame should be placed where it belongs..on the current management of WDUQ and Duquesne University. WDUQ is not self sustaining, and has not been so for quite some time. The university has been subsidizing WDUQ to a much greater degree than has been revealed.
The proposal of Pittsburgh Public Media was rejected for foundation funding simply because WDUQ, as currently constituted, could not be self supporting. WDUQ did nobody any favors by running the station at a deficit nor in repeatedly stating the station was a “stand alone” operation. It was not true.
Bruce - June 19, 2011 at 1:36 pm
Bruce,
Duquesne University decided to count its own appropriated monies and audited calculation of it’s “in-kind” contribution as a “deficit” to cover the fact that they wanted to make a lot of money by selling the station.
If they wanted to “resolve” a deficit, they could have fired the management and staff or done many other things. They did not care who they sold it to. They wanted the money.
That “in kind” contribution – FOR THE COMMUNITY – is something every university licensee does. It is figured by formula from the CPB, based on square footage and other arbitrary measures. Calling that contribution a “deficit” is dishonest, but what else would you expect from the current administration of that university – who dumped sports teams and other activities, but claimed to be never running into any financial problems in 2009. Duquesne’s own IRS tax filings show a shortfall of more than $4 million. Look it up.
And Duquesne won’t tell you about the overhead charges they skimmed off of WDUQ’s fundraised dollars. Other universities do it, too, but that doesn’t make it right.
WDUQ’s financial information is available in their public file at their main studio on Forbes Ave. Free for public inspection. Go visit and take a look.
Don’t blame the staff or management of WDUQ. They served you and Pittsburgh well. Shame on you for victimizing the victims at the station and in the community for this unjust, unethical taking of a public good.
Decisions were made about the station by people who did nothing to build it up. Others are cashing in on the investment of a community. If that’s what it takes to save the station as a public station, so be it, but don’t blame the victims.
Blame them for not all quitting when the Planned Parenthood underwriting fiasco hit a few years ago, but I recall people boycotted the station back then, too. The university has been mistreating the staff of WDUQ and the community that listens for years. This is just the final act.
Steven - June 19, 2011 at 9:18 pm
Well Steven, I haven’t looked at all the numbers and I am not sure I would know what they meant even if I did.
Needless to say, Duquesne is in dire need of money and the proceeds of the radio station was one way in which they could raise capital. Duquesne is unable to raise endowment funds, they have difficulty filling incoming classes with qualified applicants, and if they are running a $4 Million shortfall it should come as no surprise to anybody.
Suffice it too say, it is a damn shame that the employees of WDUQ are losing their jobs and the listeners who have loyally supported the station are losing their jazz. I do think it is unreasonable to hold Essential Public Media responsible.
I loved Chiodo’s Bar in Homestead, but Joe Chiodo wanted to retire, he was sitting on a key piece of property on Eight Avenue. So who do I blame? Walgreen’s for buying the property and building a store? Mr. Chiodo for selling something he had of worth so he had money to retire? I don’t know…
Bruce - June 19, 2011 at 11:39 pm
Bruce, thanks for setting up a nice analogy. Let’s take Chiodo’s Bar as our example. No one can argue that Joe had every right to sell his bar and retire. However, let’s assume that a local group that wanted to operate it just the way it was offered Joe more money that Walgreen’s. And then despite the higher offer from the “preservationists” assume that Joe sold it to Walgreen’s and also helped them partially fund the deal. Now how would you feel about that sale?
Bob Thompson - June 20, 2011 at 2:41 pm
But Steve’s challenge to the statement that WDUQ management is to blame (and the charge that they could not run the station sustainably) stands. Both of these statements are false, Bruce. Financial records show that the station, in essence, was sustainable. I can provide more detail if needbe. WDUQ also had more than 3x the listeners than EPM’s WYEP and a larger funding base, both evidence of strong management.
While I don’t know your background, are you really equating a public radio station built on listener donations and tax credits/refunds (and specially licensed as one of only 4 such stations in Pittsburgh) to a Mon Valley saloon? There is a higher ethical standard here for both seller and buyer; EPM has been tight-lipped and arrogant in positioning itself as a savior and could have avoided much of the current backlash (and what may be years of ill will) if it had simply acted more transparently and, ironically, communicated with skills expected of communications/community leaders rather than smug entrepreneurs. Their out-of-the-gate behavior shows every indication that they will be poor stewards of the public trust. Maybe another public radio station or nonprofit media center will help report on this, though…oh, scratch that, EPM owns 90.5 and 91.3 and is in bed with Newsroom.
Sam - June 20, 2011 at 7:50 pm
I am deeply disappointed by the decision to kill all but 6 hours of jazz programming on WDUQ! Pittsburgh has enough news and information programming and media outlets. First, Pittsburgh already has an all-news radio station— KQV. Second, Pittsburgh has another radio station that provides some news/information— KDKA. Third, Pittsburgh has not one, but two local newspapers. Fourth, the local t.v. stations have an incredible amount of time devoted to local newscasts; there is even one entire subchannel devoted to nothing but news. Also, are the new owners of WDUQ aware that there are tons of news sites on the Internet? And, are they aware that if left in its present form, WDUQ airs at least seven hours of news/information programming on a daily basis, namely in the key a.m drive and p.m. drive time slots? Those are the important times of day when people want news. Isn’t seven hours or so of news a day enough? With all of the bad, depressing economic news and horrifying news on terrorism and war, do you really believe that people are yearning for more of that? Also, I doubt that there is a real interest in wanting to listen to news in the midday, evening, or late-night hours. Can’t News and jazz happily co-exist on the same station just like it does now? By programming it this way, you would be getting donations from two groups of listeners, one that would be called news junkies and the other would be known as jazz afficianados. By the way, it’s interesting that the new owners didn’t want to dump their adult alternative rock format on WYEP and convert that to all-news; after all, Pittsburgh does have stations that play many of those same songs. In addition, that suggestion that longtime WDUQ jazz fans could listen to jazz via HD Radio is a joke. Does EPM really think that most of those jazz fans have HD Radios (and one would need several of them to be able to freely listen to it anywhere in your home, at work, outside, or in the car)? EPM’s offer of HD Radio coupons is laughable. My guess is that individuals/households would be limited to one coupon and it wouldn’t even cover the entire cost of an HD Radio. Also, I wonder if EPM would have to retract that offer, as I suspect the number of jazz fans would be fairly sizable. I also wish to take a couple of the Pittsburgh t.v. stations to task for their terrible reporting on the story. Their reports were so slanted that it made it appear as though jazz listeners wouldn’t really be affected by these proposed changes. I may not live in Pittsburgh; however, I did at one time and I have relatives who currently reside there, and I have been a frequent visitor. I implore EPM to keep the current format on 90.5. Note— Erie’s WMCE 88.5 Jazz-FM is really growing and jazz is gaining in popularity here in NW PA.
Erie Radio Enthusiast - June 23, 2011 at 02:54 am
And the jazz hosts on WMCE in Erie are all WDUQ staffers hosting shows on the JazzWorks satellite service. Apparently, JazzWorks will continue, just not on its producing and distributing station.
Hole-hearted jazz fan - June 23, 2011 at 10:48 am
Jazz Fans – As a staff member of WMCE “88.5 Jazz FM” I wanted to jump in here. We have used WDUQ’s “Jazzworks” service along with some other syndicated programs and even a few locally produced programs. Those of us here are working to become more locally based by building our music library and adding more programs with more of an Erie feel while relying less on Jazzworks. We are very pleased with the response those in the Erie area have given us since we flipped to Jazz in early 2009 and we feel that the station will only get better with the plans we have in store. We welcome listeners everywhere to listen online at http://www.erieradio.com/..
Tom Lavery (URL) - June 23, 2011 at 12:47 pm
Sorry to make a sweeping generalization. Still, most of the shifts are JazzWorks at the moment.
Good idea to localize. Especially, it’s a good idea given that you’ve been well-received as a jazz purveyor. Hope you’re supporting live jazz in the area. I am an admirer of the Erie music scene. There is much talent working in the area, in a variety of styles. The Erie Music Awards is a great indicator.
Perhaps the DUQ library will become available. That would certainly get you a great straight-ahead library. I think they have some of the other sub-genres as well, even though they don’t get much airplay. DUQ’s MD is from Erie and might be a good resource in building a library.
Email me, if you’d like, at JazzIsPittsburgh@gmail.com for more info off the board.
Hole-hearted jazz fan - June 23, 2011 at 6:38 pm